Andy Murray on course for defeat in Geneva before weather intervenes

Andy Murray

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Andy Murray found it hard to concentrate due to the strange weather conditions while he was in danger of losing in the opening round of the Geneva Open.

Murray was losing against Yannick Hanfmann who was ranked 85th in the world. Hanfmann had won the first set and was also leading with two breaks when the umpire, Greg Allensworth, interrupted the game because of an incoming storm. Both players were then asked to return to their locker rooms.

Murray had expressed his irritation to Allensworth due to gusts of wind that were causing the nearby Parc des Eaux-Vives to release white pollen onto the court. These gusts left Murray feeling as though they were experiencing snowfall on the court.

In a surprising turn of events, Murray made two mistakes by hitting the ball twice into the net one after the other. This allowed Hanfmann to gain a significant advantage by scoring four points to Murray's one in the second set. Hanfmann had already secured the victory in the first set by winning 7-5 after a streak of 12 consecutive points.

Murray's comeback to the ATP Tour was not what he was hoping for as he participated in the Geneva tournament. His intention was to prepare for his upcoming appearance at the French Open, which would be his first since 2020. However, after his unsatisfying performance at a Challenger event in Bordeaux last week, his return was disappointing.

He appeared quite uncomfortable, having trouble with his return of serve and giving his opponent more control of the match. His opponent did not seem bothered by the weather interruption.

Unless there's a remarkable comeback, Murray won't be able to secure a second-round match against the top-ranked player Novak Djokovic, which would have been their first encounter since the 2017 Doha final.

Dan Evans, the third-highest ranked British tennis player, lost his chance to win the game as he failed to convert a match point. He was defeated by Arthur Rinderknech from France in a three-set match (6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (6)), bringing an end to his run at the Lyon Open.

In an exciting last round, Evans managed to recover from being 5-2 behind and eventually went on to hold match point at 6-5 in the tie-break. Unfortunately, Rinderknech made an impressive comeback and ultimately advanced to the second round.

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